July 31, 1981 Arnette R. Hubbard was installed as the first woman and 39th President of the National Bar Association in Detroit, Michigan. A native of Stephens, Arkansas, Hubbard earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University and her Juris Doctor degree from John Marshall Law School in 1969. She began her career […]
Archive | July, 2011
July 31st in African American History – Theodore Shaw “Teddy” Wilson
July 31, 1986 Theodore Shaw “Teddy” Wilson, jazz pianist, died. Wilson was born November 24, 1912 in Austin, Texas. He studied piano and violin at Tuskegee Institute. In 1935, Wilson joined the Benny Goodman Trio, becoming the first black musician to perform in public with a previously all-white group.
July 30th in African American History – Louis E. Lomax
July 30, 1970 Louis E. Lomax, author and the first African American television journalist, died in a car accident when the brakes failed on his car near Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Lomax was born August 16, 1922 in Valdosta, Georgia. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Paine College in 1942, his Master of Arts degree […]
July 30th in African American History – John Garang de Mabior
July 30, 2005 John Garang de Mabior, Sudanese politician and rebel leader, died in a helicopter crash. Garang was born June 23, 1945 in Bor, Sudan. In 1962, he joined the first Sudanese civil war, but, because he was so young, the leaders encouraged him to pursue an education. He went on to earn his […]
July 29th in African American History – Tidjane Thiam
July 29, 1962 Tidjane Thiam, the first black person to head a FTSE 100 (the 100 most highly capitalized companies in the United Kingdom) company, was born in Cote d’Ivoire. Thiam spent most of his childhood in Paris. In 1984, he received an engineering degree from the École Polytechnique and in 1986 a degree in […]
July 29th in African American History – Luther Henderson
July 29, 2003 Luther Henderson, arranger, composer, orchestrator, and pianist, died. Henderson was born March 14, 1919 in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1942, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the Juilliard School of Music. From 1944 to 1946, Henderson served as staff orchestrator for the United States Navy School of Music. Henderson served […]
July 28th in African American History – Cordy Tindell Vivian
July 28, 1924 Cordy Tindell Vivian, minister, author and civil rights activist, was born in Howard, Missouri. Vivian’s first professional job was recreation director for the Carver Community Center in Peoria, Illinois where he participated in his first sit-in demonstrations, successfully integrating Barton’s Cafeteria in 1947. From 1955 to 1959, Vivian studied at American Baptist […]